A FRIEND of former gangster 'mad' Frankie Fraser is furious after thieves made off with his &#xA3;10,000 powerboat in broad daylight.

Roger Devonside, who uses the boat for water-skiing, said his neighbours watched as a gang of men entered the driveway of his home in Caughall Road, Chester, and hooked up the boat to a white Vauxhall Astra van.

The 54-year-old company director of Chester-based Europartz feels sick because he had not renewed his insurance. He is offering a &#xA3;500 reward for information leading to the recovery of the boat, which was stolen at about 2.30pm last Friday.

Mr Devonside, who raises money for charity events sometimes involving his pal Frankie Fraser, said: 'I could get a lot of lads on it. I don't think they would have come on to my drive if they knew what they were up against.'

He added: 'I'm just completely sick that someone has come along and pinched something they have not paid for. It was worth &#xA3;10,000, and they have wandered off with it and nothing appears to be being done about it.

'These guys keep coming round and hitting people all the time. I suspect they will come back.'

Mr Devonside said he had CCTV cameras at his home, but the crooks had walked backwards into his drive so only the back of their heads could be seen.

The victim said neighbours alerted him as soon as they witnessed suspicious activity. Mr Devonside said he rang police, but got a response which did not please him.

He said: 'They said they didn't have any available vehicles at the time. They are completely useless. They are not bothered. I've got a crime number, they've talked to neighbours but it's too late. They should have whizzed straight down there. They said they got the plane out, but I couldn't see anything. '

He added: 'It's all computers and no coppers.' The thieves towed away the boat with a white Vauxhall Astra van marked with the registration K483 AUK, but according to Mr Devonside it was not registered to an owner. The boat is a 15ft-long white Driver 440 and was last seen being driven towards Ellesmere Port. Mr Devonside hopes someone will hear about the vessel being offered for sale and ring the police.

He said the theft was reported at 2.36pm, about 'five or ten minutes' after it happened, and there was no point sending a patrol car to the scene as a matter of priority because the gang would have fled the scene.

However, all patrols were alerted to keep a look out for the men three minutes after receiving calls. At 2.46pm North Wales Police was informed and at 2.49pm Merseyside Police was alerted.

The police spotter-plane was scrambled at 3.26pm, based on information received suggesting the boat might have been in the Ellesmere Port area but, despite carrying out a search, it could not be found.

* Roger Devonside is raising money for Wirral-based Claire House Hospice by taking part in a 'wing walk' on August 25, which involves him being attached to the top wing of the 'Utterly Butterly' biplane.

The event will see him take off from John Lennon Airport, before flying up and down the Mersey.